Image and method of making the same



April 14, 1931. 4 HOWELL 1,801,200

IMAGE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Fi-led June 29. 1929 INVENTOR A I'Z/Zu EJZOQ/L ZZ 7 ATTORNEY I Patented Aprfl l, 1931 UNITED 'srArE-s FATE-fur OFFICE C arm mix. nownLL, or imw roan, 1c.

App1icat1on filed June 29, 1929. No. 874,651.

This invention relates to images and meth 15 with t e accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view of the apparatus illustrating the method used inrthe formation ofv images; 7

Fig. 2 1s a -s1de elevation of one form of 20 the present invention, and

Fig, 3 is a similar view of a modified formof the invention. Referring more particularly to Fig. 1 of the drawings, it will be seen that the article 2 of the present invention is preferably formed by the apparatussh'own, whichincludes a lamp or e uivalent source of light from which lig t is adapted to be projected through a suitable lens 11. A pattern such as Q a person or object which the image is to-represent, is placed before the lens 11, as in icated at 12, whereby a shadow of the profile of the erson or object is castiupon a suitable groun glass plate 13. The silhouette thus cast upon the plate 13 is directedby a 11111- mall and lens 15 to a second, ound glass plate 16. The material which 1s to be used 7 1n the formation of the ima e is indicated,

at 17 and is mounted in a suitable lathe asenerally indicated by the numeral sembl 18. n or the material 17, a second source of illumination 19 is provided, which d rects light through a lens 20 across the material 17 to the under side of the plate16, whereby a shadow of the material willbe cast on the under side of the plate, while the shadow of the profile will be cast on the upper side of ,the'plate- Thus they may be easily compared ,g'and the working of the material 17 may be easily regulated so that the configurationof the material will conform with the silhouette'of the person or object.

From the foregoing it will readily be seen that the method steps consist in directing a beam of concentrated light across the person or object and upon a glass whereby a silhouette of the person or object will be received on the plate. The silhouette is then reflected by a suitable mirror and passed through a concentrating lens to be superimposed upoirasecond plate. The material is mounted in'a lathe and the light is thrown across it so that a shadow of the material is superimposed on the late with the silhouette. The material is't en rotated and cut or molded so that the profile thereof conforms with the'profile of the silhouette. In the case of wood, suitable wood-working tools and the conventional lathe may be utilized.

In connection with the apparatus or the materials used, it will be understood that the invention is not specific to the lens arrangement or'to the use of wood. Certain metal or plastic compositions may be well ada ted to theformation of the images, and, i desired, other means of formin theimage in accordance with the profile o the silhouette ma be found.

ferring more 'articularly to Fig. 2, it will be seen that the material 17 after cutting in conformity with the profile of the silhouette, will be substantially cylindrical with an annular profile formed therein. It will be seen that in horizontal cross section the image is in all places a full and complete circle and that regardless of thef angle of rotation of the device, a shadow of the image will be a reproduction ofthe silhouette from which the device was formed.

Referring more particularly 'to Fig. 3, it will readily be seen that only fractions of I the complete cylindrical image, such as shown in. Fig. .2, may be used. Thus for book ends or similar ornamental devices, the image may be cut vertically to provide a semi-cylindrical profile bust or the like.

In connection with theimages it will be understood that the invention is not confined to the use of images of busts, but may be used for inanimate'objects as well as animate objects such as persons as here illustrated.

It will be seen that the image regardless of the angle from which it-is observed, presents'two symmetrical profile edges and that the image will cast a shadow of the profile which is a duplication of the silhouette cast by the person or object. \1

From the foregoing it will readily be seen that the invention provides a novel image together with a method of forming the same,

it being understood that the invention is not I confined to the specific details herein enumerated and that changes and modifications in the invention may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as outlined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A method of forming images, which in cludes the steps of casting the shadow of a pattern for the image and the shadow of the material from which the image is to be made, and Working the material for the image whereby at least one surface will have a longitudinal contour conforming with the contour of said shadow. I

2. A method of forming an image, which includes the step of casting the shadow ofa pattern for the image, casting a shadow of the material from which the image is to bemade, and working the material until the respective shadows conform to each other.

3. Avmethod of forming images, which includes the step of casting a shadow of the pattern for the image, projecting said shadow upon a plate, casting a shadow of the material from which the image is to be made" on said plate, and working the material until the shadows coincide.

4. A method of" forming images, which includes the step of projecting upon a plate the profile of a person, reflectlng and concentrating the image of said profile u on asecond plate, positioning a piecevof material from which the image is to be made within a lathe, and casting a shadow of said material upon said second-mentioned plate, and working said material until the shadow of the material conforms with the projected shadow of the person.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York, and State of New York, this 28 day of June, 1929. v

w ARTHUR HOWELL. 

